Friday, September 3, 2010

God Favored Me - a MUST hear

Our chior sings this at church and everytime I become overwhelmed because of God's favor on my life. It is a song that I do not tire of hearing because it reminds me of God's goodness and His unconditional love.




Blessings!

OH NO! It's September 1st already!

I was driving to work this week early in the morning, enjoy the coolness of the morning. All of the it occured to me that it was September 1st which means I have only about 12 weeks until the end of the and only about 10 weeks until by 50th birthday! There is a weight loss goal to achieve and I have work to do.

I had become a little complacent around the house after I came home from work. I wasn't really working on the house as hard as I had been for several months. That means I wasn't really achieving any kind of calorie burn.

So.....it is time to change gears!

I told Tamala tonight on the way home from work that we need to go the Y. What seems ironic is the last time we had a gym membership, we were going about three times a week. I lost about 20 lbs over a period of six months, Tamala says she only lost 5 to 6 lbs. Here's the rub - since I started working on the house back in March, I lost about 25lbs in five months; Tamala lost about 20lbs!

Anyway, it's time to go to the next level - whatever that means!

Shalom

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

hither and yon - meanderings betwixt the ears

It is a relaxing evening here in KC. I started burning what wood I've had left in my wood pile from a tree we cut down three years ago I think. I started burning this last weekend and just this evening I put the last few logs on top of the coals that were still smoldering. There is something about the aroma of burning wood wafting through the neighborhood that makes me think of Fall. Fall means cooler temps! Cooler temps means it won't be so miserable outside when you want to be doing things outside. We walked out about a week ago early in the morning and it was incredibly cool! I told Tamala as we were about to climb into our vehicles it felt like it must be in the 60s. Sure enough I checked and it was exactly 60 degrees. It felt wonderful! I think the high that day made it only to about 78 degrees.

A realtor showed our home last Wednesday to a lady from Colorado. The feedback we received was she told the realtor we have a beautiful home and that ours made "the short list"! She is apparently going to come back in September again and look some more.

Since we actually put it on the market and have had a couple of open houses, all the major stuff we needed to get done was finished. I have to admit that I've had a real struggle trying to get my motivation back to do some of the small things that can be done i.e. changing the electrical switch plates, re-painting the window latches, even painting the trim in the small downstairs spare bedroom. We worked for five long months on it practically every day and I just wore myself out on all of it. I used up two weeks of my three weeks of vacation to work on the house. Don't they call those "staycations"? We just lowered the price by $2500 last week so it will begin showing up in a lower price bracket in case folks that don't want to spend more than $125K will begin seeing our house.

Well, Tamala has had her new vehicle for one week now. She ended up with a 2002 Toyota Highlander with leather seats (heated), a sun/moon roof, nice stereo 6 disc CD changer, etc. I haven't looked up the official color of it but let's call it a deep Hunter Green. She said it has taken some getting used to driving it because she sets up so much higher than she did in the Toyota Corolla. She likes it because she can "see" now over many of the vehicles around her. I know I certainly feel better knowing that she is driving a much bigger and safer vehicle. This has been the first vehicle we bought together since we got married nearly 5.5 years ago. Her car was ten years old and mine is 8 years old. I still don't have even 120,000 miles on mine yet; it blows cold air in the summer and hot air in the winter so I'm good with that.
I have to admit, we test drove a couple of Mercedes Benz that were in our price range and let me tell you - they were one "sweet" drive. I kind of brought back memories of when I owned my Porsche 944S in the early 90s. I told Tamala those cars are actually "fun" to drive! I think that may have started an itch I may need to scratch in the next couple of years.

Well, I think I've wandered down a few short rabbit trails during this posting and should probably get onto something more productive. Before long, I'll begin the tedious task of examining the backs of my eyelids for the slightest of pin holes that would allow light to come flooding in. I'm not quite sure what I'd do if I found one, all I know is that it must be done without fail. It is an arduous task that has become a nightly ritual, one that takes me about 8 hours to complete. I just wish I could figure out a way to get paid to perform such a task. I'm the perfect employee; I show up every night and report for duty - WITHOUT fail! Never in all my almost 50 years have I ever NOT reported to this job. I have perfect attendance.

Good grief, now I've fallen off the cliff and into the abyss of - deliriousness!

Blessings! Shalom.

Monday, August 9, 2010

CRUNCH! a time to say good bye

I had just spoken to Tamala a couple of minutes before she called me again last Tuesday, August 3rd. I could tell instantly when I heard her voice that something was wrong.

She said "I've just been in an accident." I asked if she was okay and she said her chest was hurting. I asked where she was and I'd call 911. I called 911 and they told me someone had already called and an ambulance was already dispatched and the KS Highway Patrol was enroute as well.

Long story short - she was coming home from work and on an entrance ramp to I-35 (the most heavily traveled road in all of Kansas City). Of course she was checking over her left shoulder to get a glimpse of oncoming traffic......BAMMMMM! the vehicles in front of her began slamming on their brakes and before she could react much she hit the guy in front of her. It was a BMW SUV. He was very kind and thoughtful to her after the whole ordeal by asking her to get into his vehicle until help arrived.

So, I drop what I was doing at the office and begin trying to thread my way to the scene of the accident in rush hour traffic. I'm taking back streets and trying not to speed.

When I was just several blocks from the crash the ambulance attendant called me and and told me they were taking her to Shawnee Mission Medical Center. So, I do a 180 and head the ER. I get there and walk into her room and here she is strapped to a body board with a neck brace on and her head is even strapped to where it cannot move.

After some examinations and x-rays they release her to go home and we head for the Walgreen store not too far from the house.

She had some bruises and abrasions mostly from the seat belt, and soreness beyond belief. She is on the mend. We're currently considering what kind of vehicle to get for her. We knew by Wednesday evening the insurance company declared her car a total loss. You can see why:







Mom and Dad began heading up to KC Wednesday morning about 3:15am so they could keep an eye on Tamala while I was working. They took her to the Doctor. I went Wednesday morning to the tow yard and got all of her personal things out of the car. When I first saw it I figured it was a gonner!

So the insurance check is in the mail, we're on the hunt for another vehicle and now it's time to say goodbye to something we've had since we got married and Tamala has had about nine years.

Blessings!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Going back to work so I can REST!

Well it is my second day back in the office after my week long absence last week. I took another one of my vacation weeks in order to work on the house to do the last minute preparations to get it "on the market". HOLY COW! I worked harder, sweated more, definitely had more STRESS during that week that I usually have at work. It seemed there was always an impending deadline that had to be met. First it was Monday, July 19th and we had to have the house ready for the professional Stager to come in and "stage" our house for showing. That's real estate "speak" for putting all your furniture the way she wants it placed, putting her pictures on the walls, adding her professional touch here and a little there. Accent pillow here, a shower curtain there, a bowl of fruit over there, etc., etc. Well she arrived about 10:30am and we showed her around the house so she could see all the changes we'd made since she'd last been there in about early April. She was very pleased with our work. Then she promptly kicked us out of our own house (kidding of course) so she could work her 'magic'. We had to be gone for 4.5 hours. So we went and had lunch, then stopped by two different apartment complexes and looked at two bedroom apartments. They didn't have any 3 bedrooms available. Then we just hung out awhile. When we got back - WOW, she had really done quite a bit of work. It is absolutely amazing what little "color" can do for a place!

Thursday of last week, our next deadline was for the photographer to come by and take pics of our home both outside and inside. When he called to confirm I asked him to make it as late as he could because we were still doing last minute things in the house. I started mowing the yards that morning about 7 or 7:30am and didn't stop until 11am! I was trimming bushes, moving logs, raking parts, washing porches, etc. etc. Well, he came and took the pics and left. I kept working until I melted into bed about 10pm. Honestly, I don't' think I could have put another foot in front of the other. I was absolutely and utterly exhausted.

Oh yeah, we had guests from Des Moines, IA come and stay with us on Friday. We pretty much had the guest room ready for them. We took them to Cinzetti's Italian Restaurant where they have a buffet of the most INCREDIBLE food you can imagine! and the desserts! OH MY GOODNESS! I just about hurt myself - sampling this, eating that, had a little of this - OH, did you get some of that stuff?

Saturday morning we have a strategy session with our guests from Des Moines and Judi Jones. Sam and Jessica Luwandaga are our emissaries to Uganda, Africa. We have been talking for a while now of taking a trip to Africa to meet the children and families out non-profit organization has been helping out just over the last year.

It is official - we ARE going to Africa! November 2011 is the date we've all agreed to calendar the trip. We've so many things to put together in preparation for the trip. I'll be blogging more about that in the near future!

Well, this morning I get a call from the "home scheduling service" asking if it would be okay for one of their agents to show our home from 11:30am to 12:30pm. I said "of course". So, I took an early lunch about 10:15am and made a quick dash home because I thought I had left my tool box out in the floor of the office; and I knew I still hadn't re-installed the air register vents back into the walls because I was painting them just last night. I get home and sure enough, I had left the tool box out so I put it away; scrambled to get the air register vents back into the wall..."Oh no, where are the screws?" No screws! so I started grabbing little pieces of paper and folding them up the "wedge" them in between the wall and the vent! "Necessity is the mother of invention". I got that done, ran downstairs into the basement and began arranging what few things remain down there then - ran back upstairs and quickly squirted the front entry storm door with window cleaner, grabbed the Fabreeze air freshener and ran upstairs and began misting everything in sight - came down into the living room and into the dining room. I've covered in sweat at this point (and I'm in my office clothes)....ooops....out of time - put the air freshener away and dash out the door! Get into my truck and turn the A/C over to "artic" and blaze a trail back to the office. (I think I met myself coming while I was going back to the office, I'm not sure - everything is a blur).

So I get a call about 4:20 this afternoon asking if it would be okay if an agent showed our house from 5 to 6pm this evening! I said "sure it would!" So...I immediately called Tamala and told her not to go home just yet (they don't want home owners on site when prospective buyers are looking at your property). So we've been kind of, sort of, kicked out a second time all within a week! That's okay, it WILL pay off in the end - I know it will.

I've got a wood pile out back that I have to get completely burned before Sunday because they're going to have an open house from 1pm to 4pm that afternoon. Guess what? We'll be kicked out again during that whole time as well.

Well....that's about it. As soon as we can get back into the house this evening I'll begin "securing" the air registers to the wall, burning more wood out back, more painting touch-ups to be done.

Gotta run-
Blessings!

Friday, July 16, 2010

“Y’all come, now, ya heeuh”

In this whole process of getting ready to sell the house and then move out of the house, the time has come for the dubious “yard sale.” UGH! It always amazed me that folks would stick out these little 8.5 x 11 inch “garage sale” signs on the street corner – expecting you to read their quaint little sign with address, etc. It is a rare moment that I’ve found that I could actually read their sign.

So ours is tomorrow and Tamala had been asking me for a couple of days if I could make the signs for her. I said “Sure!” Well here you go…..a few ‘custom’ signs that will adorn the neighbor for all to see. Too bad they won’t be taking satellite shots of our neighborhood! I hope they can see these.




The big ones are 4 x 8 foot plyboards split in half if that lets you know the size of them. I have to admit, I started feeling a little like ‘white trash’ about half way through this project. I think maybe I’ve experiencing a psychological conundrum from too many visits to “Hillbilly Hollar” down near Branson, MO. I mean…isn’t the whole idea of putting out a sign is for the passersby to actually see them and to READ them? Well, that was my whole approach. Give me a chance and I just might make a sign they could see from the Space shuttle!

I’m sure we’ll be up well before sun up tomorrow – arranging, pushing, shoving, pulling things into just the right spot for the new owner to “spy” their little find and whisk off with it to only God knows where. I told Tamala she probably wouldn’t want me around too much during the sale because if someone doesn’t like my price I might tell them give a dollar for it and “git outta heeuh”. That’s right, I want it gone…all of it! “Git ‘er dun” as Mator would say in Pixar’s movie “CARS”.

I’m sure after it’s all over there will some kind of stupid story to tell. I like to add some accelerant and simply strike a match, then “WOOSHHHH” it’d all be over in a flash!

Pray for me that I don’t try and slap some horse sense into some of the ‘folk’ that will be visiting the former Palmerosa of KC.

Blessings!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Updates, Updates and updates -

50 by 50 - update:

Well I went to the doctor last week for a check up and asked him to fill out a form that was required for my insurance company. I was anticipating the visit because I knew I had lost some weight since my last visit but didn't know how much. How, did I know? Well, let's put it this way, if I didn't wear a belt would likely see a full moon rising! All of my pants have become extremely too big and when I cinch up the belt they have a tendency to pucker up around my waist. So I guess you might be wondering how much I've lost? The nurse's aid said the last time I was in their office I was tipping the scale at 303 lbs. Last week I weighed in at 278lbs so that's a 25 lb. loss! I'll take it. Thing of it is, I haven't really been trying. I've cut down on the amount of food I eat, plus, I've stay extemely active when I come home at night. Instead of sitting and watching TV like we used to do, I'm scraping, sanding, painting, spackling, etc, etc. until it's time to go to bed. Another 25 lb weigh loss would put me at 253. I'd really like to get to 250. Suffice it to say, I haven't been in the 270's for quite awhile. Incidentally, Tamala has dropped 20 lbs as well! People at church have been commenting to her that they've noticed her weight loss. Her jeans are getting pretty "baggy" too. Maybe I should begin calling her the "bag lady".

Palmerosa of KC is up for sale!

This weekend proved to be very, very productive! I've hired two teenage boys who live across the street a couple of weekends. Well, they came over Saturday morning and I had them start down in the basement. We have a fairly large basement. Between the stuff we've been storing for Kansas Academy of Theatrical Arts (a non profit organization I serve on their Board of Directors) and our stuff - let's just say there was a "trail" from one end of the basement to the other. It was FULL! After about 2.5 hours - our basement is 99% empty! It looks so HUGE now! Our realtor visited us just last week and said the main thing is for the stuff in a basement to appear to be organized. I'm thinking she'll settle for its condition now. I think she'll be really pleased.

We're getting down to some final details before it officially hits the market. Our target date for it to be entered on the Multilist service and published on the market is July 21st. Tamala and I will be taking that entire week off to get the house ready. I think we'll be ready early, but I'll remain flexible. If you've got $127,500.00 and need a 4 bedroom, tri-level, two bathrooms on almost 3/4 of an acre - we've got just the place for you.

Also, with a few quick calculations and a great deal of HOPE - I believe that if we sell the PalmerosaKC for over $123,500 we will walk away from the closing table completely DEBT FREE! I've thought about this more and more lately. I keep telling myself every night while working on the house that "pay day is coming....pay day is coming!"

Well, that's all for now. It's beginning to get a little late. Blessings!